Tennis net



March 12, 1935. 1.. 1.. APPLEYARD 1,994,092

' TENNIS NET Filed Aug. 26, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 In i/ez a Z07" Q9 wo Jhawwga.

March 12;, 1935. 1.. APPLEYARD TENNIS NET Filed Aug. 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Shet 2 In 2/ for 1768/2? [.J

Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT: orrice TENNIS NET Leslie L. Appleyard, Chicago, 111., assigncr to R. J. EdererCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of tended for use as a tennis net. It has for one object to provide a construction whereby the upper edge of the tennis net is strengthened.

Another object is to provide means in a tennis net having a reinforced upper edge whereby the edge of the net itself is strengthened and whereby its attachment to the reinforcing is strengthened. Other objects will appear from time-to time in the course of the specification and claims.

This invention is illustrated more or less dia grammatically in the accompanying drawings,

wherein p v Figure 1 is an elevation with parts broken away and parts in section showing a portion of the net; i

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken at line 2 2 of Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2, showing a modified form;

Figure 4 isa View generally similar to Figure 2, showing a further modified form; I

Figure 5 is a view generally'similar toFigure 1, showing the modified form of Figure 4.

Like parts are designated by like symbols throughout. t

The net is formed of a plurality of vertical cords A, A, and a plurality of. horizontal cords A A They are woven or knotted together to form the netted fabric. In making the tennis net a portion of the netted fabric is bent or, folded down upon itself. In the particular form shown herewith the folded portion comprises the width of three meshes. This folded portion is indicated generally as at X. The fold preferably occurs at one of the horizontal threads or. cords A The portion of the not which is overlain by the folded portion is indicated generally as at Y.

To support the upper edge of the net a rope or cable B is used. This may be of any suitable size or shapeor material. A reinforcing and attaching means is provided which comprises a fabric frequently ofcanvas or other relatively strong and tightly woven material. As shown, it is formed of two sections C, G which are folded together with their lower edges turned in as at 0 C respectively. The upper horizontal cord A at which the fold occurs is placed between the portions C, C of the reinforcing upper edge member. The lower edgesof the reinforcing member are joined by stitching D which comes below the horizontal cord A and thus fastens thereinforcing and the net together. A second line of stitching D may be used. This additionally fastens together the sections 0 C of the upper member and in the form shown inFigures 1 and 2 it is positioned above the upper horizontal cord A so that in that form of the invention this cord is fastened between two rows of stitchings which 1932, Serial No. 630,572

also fasten together the upper'edging memberi As an additional reinforcement. a grommet E may be used. Such grommets may be used at the ends. of the upper reinforcing member or at suitable distances. throughout the length of this member. As shown, one of them is adjacent the end of the net and is positioned between the lines of stitching D, D and below the upper cord A so that'it serves as an additional member by means of which the cord A is fastened within and held-to the'reinforcing strip C, C

The form of the invention illustrated in Figure 3 diifers from that shown in Figures 1 and 2 only with respect to the stitching. Instead of the arrangement shown. in the first .two figures, two rows of stitching F F join the members 0 and C and they are both below the cord A which is embraced betweenthe members C, C

In both forms of the invention the'outer ends of the net are preferably reinforced by stitching or knitting or otherwise as indicated at F. This reinforcing may be accomplished by runningwa chain stitch'along the end of the net or in any other manner. Since the net is folded upon itself along one of its horizontal cords 'A the meshes of the two portions where they overlap coincide or register and the lower edge of the folded portion coincides with one of the horizontal cords A At this point a third horizontal cord G may be run across the net and used'as a fastening and tyingmember, being tied about the intersections of the meshes as at G G The other mesh intersections might also be tied.

Iheform of the invention shown in Figure 4 involves the same parts as those shown in the earlierrfigures. The difference is merelythat the parts are fastened together somewhat differently.

A further reinforcement is provided for the sides and the bottom of the net and the rope at the top of the net is fastened differently. Thenet itself and the method of folding it is thesame as that shown in Figure ,1. Instead, however, of the stitching, binding or knitting 'F at the edge of the net, atape or fabric reinforcing I-I may be used. A reinforcing cord H maybe used as the cord G is used in Figure l, but a similar reinforcing cord H runs preferably up and down along the edges of the net so that they are reinforced by a cord H tied to the meshes as at H in addition tothe reinforcing given by the cord H where it is tied to the overlapping horizontal cords A A of the folded portion of the net.

'In the form of the invention shown in Figure 5, the sides of the net and the fastening cord H are all enclosed in the fabric or tape reinforcing H, which is wrapped about them and stitched in place by a row of stitches H which to some degree pass through the cords A A and so additionally fasten the tapes to the net.

As shown in Figure 5 a reinforcement is provided for the bottom of the net, which includes a cord I which runs across the net and is fastened to the lowest cord A in any suitable manner. It may be tied thereto by making knots in the vertical cords A. In some cases the cord I need not be fastened directly to the cords of the net but is merely enclosed in a tape or fabric reinforcing I which is fastened to the lower part of the net by stitches I fastened to the reinforcing tape.

At its upper edge the net, in the form shown in Figure 5, is folded exactly as in Figure 1, but in this case, instead of being free from the rope B it is fastened thereto, preferably by a tying cord J which runs generally parallel with the upper horizontal cord A of the net and is tied to it at the ends of the meshes in knots J Thus the cord B, instead of being free to slide in the reinforcing fabric portionC, and free to slide with respect to the net, is fastened to it, and only a single row of stitching D is preferably used to fasten the reinforcing fabric C together and to engage and grip the vertical cords A of the net.

Of course, the construction of the upper edge of the net shown in Figures 4 and 5, in which the net is tied to the rope and the rope and net are then enclosed in the reinforcing C, might be used without the reinforced sides, as shown in'Figure 5, and without the reinforced bottom as shown in that figure, and while the net may as a whole be made as shown in that figure, its construction is not limited to that particular combination and changes such as those suggested with respect to either the sides and the bottom or both of them might be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and in all of the forms of the invention the reinforcing cords G and H which are shown where edge portions or joining portions of the net occur, might be omitted or cords of a different type or knots of different types might be used.

If the net is used as shown in Figures 4 and 5 but without the bottom reinforcing tape or fabric 1 then the net will, of course, be fastened directly to the cord I, so that this cord will serve as a reinforcing and fastening member for the bottom of the net, whether or not the tape or fabric I is used.

A further change which is in effect a modification of the form shown in Figures 4 and 5 is that in which the tying cord J and the knots J are omitted and the upper rope B is woven or threaded through the meshes of the net. Thus it is below the uppermost horizontal cord A and lying in the upper row of meshes formed at the fold of the net. Where this is done the net and the rope B may be tied together either by a cord similar to the cord J or by any oth r suitable tying means and the reinforcing member C and the stitching D will be the same.

I claim:

1. In a tennis net, a netted fabric forming the net proper, said fabric being folded upon itself and providing a portion extending downwardly a substantial distance fromits upper edge to receive the impact of the balls, and a binding along both sides of the upper edge of the net, engaging the upper edge of the not generally at the fold, there being a plurality of lines of stitches in the binding, one positioned upon one side and the other Thus if the cord and the net are not fastened together, each is upon the other side of the upper folded edge of the net.

2. In combination in a tennis net, a netted fabric folded upon itself and providing a portion extending downwardly a substantial distance from its upper edge to receive the impact of the balls, and a binding along the upper edge of the net, said binding engaging and enclosing the fold of the, net, and a plurality of lines of stitching through the binding fastening the edges of the binding together, one line of stitching being above the fold of the netand the other being below it, and an attaching member for the lower edge of the. folded portion of the net, comprising a cord of the same size as the cords of the net, running across the net and formedinto knots fastening the edge of the folded portion of the net to the main fabric of the net.

3. In a tennis net, 21 netted fabric forming the net proper, said fabric being folded upon itself and providing a'portion extending downwardly a substantial distance from'its upper edge to receive the impact of the balls, and a binding along both sides of the upper edge of the net, engaging the upper edge ofthe net generally at the fold, and a line of stitching in the binding, positioned below the folded edge of the net.

4. In a tennis net, a netted fabric forming the not proper, said fabric being folded upon itself and providing a portion extending downwardly a substantial distance from its upper edge to receive the impact of the balls, in combination with a rope, means for fastening saidrope to said net, and a binding along both sides of the upper edge of the net, enclosing the upper edge of the net and the rope, and stitching joining the binding and engaging the net to prevent its removal from the binding.

5. In combination in a tennis net, a netted fabric forming the net proper, said fabric being folded upon itself and providing a portion extending downwardly a substantial distance from its upper edge to receive the impact of the balls, so that the meshes of the folded portion register with the meshes of the main body of the net, and a reinforcing member arranged generally parallel with the joining edges of the net and knots in the reinforcing member tying the meshes of the net together.

6. A tennis net formed of a wide meshed fabric, said fabric being folded and reversed upon itself and providing a portion extending downwardly a substantial distance from its upper edge to receive the impact of the balls to provide an extended reinforced portion adjacent its upper edge, and a binding embracing the folded edge and extending above it, and means for fastening the binding to the folded edge of the net.

7. A tennis net formed of a wide meshed fabric, said fabric being folded and reversed upon itself and providing a portion extending downwardly a substantial distance from its upper edge to receive the impact of the balls to provide an extended reinforced portion adjacent its upper edge, and a binding embracing the folded edge and extending above it, and means for fastening the binding to the folded edge of the net, and a rope within said binding and means for fastening the lower edge of the folded reinforcing portion of the net to the main body of the net.

LESLIE L. APPLEYARD. 

